Driving mechanism for washing-machines.



L. I. ALDRICH.

DRWING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JULY e. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Wrwvzssssw v I VE/VTOR.

L. I. ALDRICH.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I9I5.

Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

104 Nip/P.

77144 9. Qmqf D STATES PATENT orricn j LOYD I. ALDRICH, or IFPONTIAC, ILLINoIs, ASSIGNORTO JOHN ROGKE, or roivcrmc;

ILLINOIS. t I

DRIVING MECHANISM roa WASHING-MACHINES.

Pontiac, in the county of Livingston and.

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

- My invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly to driving connections for a clothes agitator as for instance, a dolly of the common type.

My invention has. special reference to mechanism and parts looking to the points of simplicity, cheapness and efficiency, and to this end I have: developed a gear drive 'connection that is permanent, durable and easy runnin and is effectually safeguarded against acci ent and'breakage.

My invention consists in combining or connecting a driving and a driven element in a relation to promote disconnection therebetween at the will of the operator; in

providing separable clutch-elements yieldable relatlvely that the jar of establishing connection may not damage or injure the parts or gear 1 driving connection; in 'providing a,dr1ving connection at :th top of-the washing machine that shall present the least possible projection or extension above said top to the end that the top maybe utilized that maybe placed My invention also includes a special form of gear parts and supports for the same.

Other detail matters relating to my invn 'tion will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out. 1 I

In the drawings,-'Figure 1 is a top plan view of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation-of thesai'ne; Fig.3: is a bottom'view of my' invention; Fig. bis a detail view in elevation of gear .drive connections including separable clutch parts, and Fi 5 is a view, partially inlsection, including 1n illustration gear driving-parts and themanner of supporting the same.

"Referring to the above figures, 2 is a tub 1 or container for clothes; 3 are supporting legs for the tub; 4 and 5 are permanent sec- 'tions of a top covering or lid for the same. 6 is also a portion of the lid, the same belng hinged as at 7 to the permanent lid portion 6 and 8 is a common Interlock device serving to lock the lid 6 in a closed position.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1915. Serial No. 38,108;

Patented May 30,1916.

--9 is a dolly"of the well'known type,.the same bemg permanently connected to the lowerend'of squared shaft 10, saidshaft being earned in a sleeve extension 11 from a 4,

sprocket gear member 12. A cap 13 is fixed to the upper end of squared shaft 10, serving as'a stop to limit its downward move-' ment,'said cap abutting and being supported normally upon the top or hub portion I l-of sprocket gear 12. The sleeve portion 11 of gear 12 is housed or journaled in the sleeve portion15 ofplate 162* The-outer wallsuof the upper end of sleeve15' are inclined as shown, and serve as a seat or support for gear 12, said gear being provided with an annular groove '17 conforming in shape to theinclined wall of said sleeve 15, whereby the supp'ortmg surface bearing between said gear and its support is extended to the largest limits possible for'the purpose'of distributing-the wear therebetween. The sleeve extension 11 of gear 12 is provided, and its inclosure within the walled bearing or sleeve .15 of plate 16, for the purpose of reinforcing and/strengthening the support for shaft 10, and similarly, for. insuring the maintenance of gear 12 in apermanent position. The plate 16, together with. the gear and driving connections just above described,

are mounted on 'themovable-lid. portion .6. Plate 16 extends outwardly beyond the limits of movable cover portions 16,, between which a shaft 19. depends, the latter being carried within the sleeve 20 and supported therein'by means of collar 21 fixed to said shaft. Sleeve 20--is provided with lugs 22 that are secured to lugs 18 by means of bolts 23. A sprocketwheel24 is fixed to: shaft 19 and sprocket-chain 25 serves to "establish a driving connection between said sprocket wheelo24 and vsprocket wheel 12. 26 isra clutch member-secured to the lowe'rend of shaft '19.

The parts above described comprehend the agitator element for-a washing machlne and drivingconnections therefor, and all these parts are designed to be supported upon the movable lid portion 6 and to' swing with themovement of said lid. ,Beneath the 'washing tubI have provided a framing sup port comprising angle bars 27 and transverse bar 28. This frame is designed tolsup port gear parts of the machine.

' The operating elements ofthe machine. derive initial power commonly from a motor or gasolene engine (not shown) transmitted through belt wheel 29 to shaft 30, the latter supported insleeve portion of bracket 31 link 36,

- in bracket member 39, the latter hein fixed which is connected with the framingbeneath the tub.

32 is a bevel gear fixed to shaft 30.

33 is a bevel gear fixed to shaft 34, the latter being suitably supported in connection with framing member 28. i

, 35 is a crank arm fixed to shaft 34.

36 is a crank arm fixed to vertical shaft 37 said crank arms being connected by means of Shaft 37 is carried in bearing 38 to one of the framing members 27, an similarly within a vertical standard 40.

41 is a clutch member designed at times to engage with clutch member 26 on shaft 19,

said clutch member 41 being splined upon shaft 37 and held for normal clutch relation with said clutch member 26 under tension of spring member 42, the latter having a bearmg relation between the hub portion of clutch member 41 and the upper end of standard 40. This sliding connection 'of clutch 41 upon shaft 37 under the tension of spring 42, will-permit clutch member 41 to yield and to be disposed under abnormal wc'onditions, that is, in case when the lid or cover 6 is being closed, the outer end of the tooth members of the clutch come into contact. Thischaracter of connection prevents severe jar or damage to the clutch members and connected gear parts generally. Abnormal contact of the clutch members will be remedied, as shaft 37 is turned, as with such turning the teeth of the clutches will be brought into normal driving engagement.

In operation, the parts being arranged in the manner-shown in the drawing, with the lid or cover portion 6 closed, a driving con- ;nection' will be established from the, power source to the agitatoror dolly, andincourse it vdolly shaft 10 will be reciprocated reversely alternately to cause the dolly to be turned '1 back and forth. When the hd or cover 6 is jraised, clutch. parts 26 and 41 will be separated and theagitator or doll will cease to operate and-the connected driving parts that are mounted upon the lid, while the other .;jdi:i}ving connections will continue to run. In manner, a very simple, durable and safe intermittentdriving connection is provided for the agitator.

' 'WhatI claim is:

,lQIn a device of the class described, a

main frame including supportin member, driving mechanlsm thereon mclu mg a verftically disposed. .turnable member, a supportfor said member, a clutch member, its I eugageable face. disposed at right angles tlilthe'axis ofsaid member and capable of ju's't'n'ient lengthwise thereof, a movable neniber on the supporting member provided with operating mechanism thereon, and

movable therewith, including aclutch connected to operate said operatin' mechanism and disposed to register with t e clutch on the turnable member when the closure member is in closed position and tobe separated therefrom when said closure member is raised. a

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upright driving shaft, a sleeved member about the same spaced from the upper end of said shaft, a support movable relatively to said upright shaft,-operating mechanism on the movable support, a

power transmission element on the upper end'of the upright driving shaft movable lengthwiseof said shaft,--a resilientmember interposed between said power transmission element and the upper end of said sleeve and a power transmission element connected with, said operating mechanism, and arranged to be engaged when the support is in the normal operating position and disengaged therefrom when the support is moved nism on the movable support, including a power transmission element, said power transmlsslon elements being arranged to bemterengaged when the movable support 1s 1n normal operating position and adapted to be disengaged when the support is moved from i said 'osition.'

4. n a device of the class described, the combination of a driven member having a reversing movement, a housing, standard for said driven member terminatinlgshort of the upperend of the latter, a support movable relatively to said member, an o crating mechanism on the support, separab e-clutch parts connectin slidab e lengthwise of said. memberand' a rew silient member interposed between said clutch part and the up er end of thestandard, said clutch parts ing-arranged to be engaged'when the support is in the operating position and to be disengaged when the support is moved therefrom.

- 5. In a de 'ce of the class described, the combination of a main sup ort, a drive shaft thereon, a support movab e relative to "said drive shaft, a housing member for said said member and the op 'eratin mechanism, one of said parts being drive shaft terminating short of its upper 13o end, an operating mechanism on the movable I being movable lengthwise thereof, and a resilient member interposed between the power transmission member on the drive shaft and the upper end of-the standard, said members being arranged to be in engagement when the support is in operating position and adapted to be disengaged when the support is moved from said operating position.

6. In a driving mechanism for washing machines, the combination with a main sup- ,port and a movable support cooperating therewith, of a vertically disposed actuating shaft mounted on said main support, a housing standard for said actuating shaft terminating short of its upper end, an operating member mounted on said movable support in alinement with said actuating shaft, 'a driven shaft also mounted on said movable support, connecting means between sald housing standard for said actuating shaft terminating short of its upper end, means for oscillating said actuating shaft, an operating member mounted on said movable support, a driven shaft also mounted on said movable support, connecting means between said driven shaft and .said operating member, cooperating clutch members one upon said actuating shaft and the other on said operatingmember, the clutch member on the,

'' actuating shaft slidable lengthwise thereof and a resilient member interposed between the clutch member on the actuating shaft and the upper end of the housing standard.

8. In a driving mechanism for washing machines, the combination with a main support and a movable support hinged thereto, of an actuating shaft mounted on said main support, a housing standard for said actuating shaft terminating short of its upper end, a clutch member slidably connected with the upper end of said actuating shaft,

a resilient member interposed between said videdv with an elongated sleeve portion 1nclosing the sleeve portion of the gear member, its upper end extending above the said cast member and formed to conform with the angular formation of the annular'groove in the gear member, a short driven shaft mounted at the outer end of the cast member of the movable support, a gear member thereon, driving connections between said gear member on the short driven shaft and the gear member upon the driven shaft, and a clutch member on the short driven shaft for cooperation with the slidable clutch member on the upper end of the actuating shaft.

9. In a device of the class described, a main frame including a supporting member, driving mechanism therefor including a turnable member, supporting means xforsaid turnable member, a clutch member'connected to said turnable member, a movable member on the supporting member and provided with operating mechanism thereon and movable therewith, said operating mechanism including a clutch member movable into engagement with the clutch member on the turnable member by movement of the movable member to normal operating position and'disengaged from the clutch member of the turnable member upon movement of the movable member from normal position.

10.. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a driven shaft supported by said main frame, a movable support on the main frame, a driven shaft, a cast member carried by the movable supportand supporting at one end the driven shaft, an operating shaft, an elongated sleeve at the other end of the cast member and inclosing the operating shaft, a gear member on the operating shaft provided with a sleeve fpor tion inclosed by the elongated sleeve 0 the east member said elongated sleeve serving as a support for said gear member, anddriving connections between the driven shaft and the gear member on the operating 1 shaft.

LOYD I. ALDRICH.

Witnesses:

JOHN RooKE, C. E. MYERS.- 

